Electronic devices such as selective call receivers including pagers typically have the ability to receive, store, and review a plurality of information messages. Depending on the particular type of pager, the information messages may comprise numeric, alphanumeric, voice, or tone-only messages. Additionally, such pagers are typically equipped with means for alerting the pager user of a received message. To facilitate user control of the reviewing of messages and the alert means, a plurality of switches may be available.
Usually, upon receipt of a new message, the message is stored in a random access memory (RAM), and an initial audible, visual, or tactile alert is provided to inform the pager user that he has received a message. The audible, visual, and tactile alert means typically comprise an audio speaker, a light, and a vibrator, respectively. In the case of a numeric or alphanumeric display pager, the received message can be displayed on a visual display through actuation of a message reading switch, or, alternatively, the message can be displayed automatically upon receipt. In a typical voice pager, received messages can be reviewed via playback on the pager's audio speaker.
Most types of pagers in the current art are capable of at least two alert modes, commonly known as a silent alert mode and an audible alert mode. Each of these alert modes comprises a combination of the visual, audible, or tactile means. The silent alert mode typically comprises a visual alert and a tactile alert. Optionally, a very brief audible chirp may also be active in the silent alert mode to improve user recognition of received selective calls.
The audible alert mode typically comprises visual and audible alerts. The audible alert is usually at the maximum audio level of which the pager's audio speaker and audio drive circuitry are capable: typically 80 db sound pressure level (SPL) at 12 inches from the pager. In voice message pagers, a volume control is typically available for adjusting the level of the audible mode audio output.
The common method for switching between the silent alert mode and the audible alert mode comprises a user-accessible manual switch located on the exterior surface of the pager. When the pager user wishes to change alert modes, he manually selects the desired mode by utilizing the switch.
In both the silent and audible alert modes, upon receipt of a message, the initial alert is given for a predetermined amount of time (typically 8 to 20 seconds). Usually, the alert can be terminated immediately by user actuation of an alert reset switch. To improve user recognition of message receipt, especially in cases where the pager and user are separated for a period of time, most modern pagers comprise a means of reminding users of any messages stored in memory that have not been read. Typically, this means comprises a periodic alert similar to the initial alert given upon receipt of the page, but for a much shorter duration relative to the initial alert. The reminder alert usually repeats every two minutes until the received message is read.
In a known voice message pager with voice storage capability, message reception and storage in the audible mode is announced by the output of a brief audible alert of a predetermined pattern through an audio speaker, immediately followed by the output of the received voice message. In the silent mode, a vibrator is activated for a predetermined amount of time and a light is illuminated continously until the received voice message is recalled from memory and reviewed by playback through the audio speaker. Thus, in this case, the continuous illumination of the light serves as the message reminder.
A common design technique in current information pagers, particularly in numeric, alphanumeric, and tone-only pagers, is the combination of the alert reset and the message reading functions into one switch, known as the read/reset switch. If a new message is received and the initial alert is allowed to time out, the reminder alert is activated until the user actuates the read/reset switch, at which time the new message is displayed and the reminder alert is disabled. If a new message is received and the read/reset switch is actuated before the alert times out, the alert is immediately reset (terminated) and the reminder alert is activated until the read/reset switch is actuated again, thereby displaying the received message and disabling the reminder alert.
The current art in this area has a shortcoming in that the reminder-disabling is automatically performed upon message reading and, therefore, there is no provision for situations where the pager user desires to be periodically reminded of a stored message that has already been read. This deficiency is especially critical when a user is busy when he receives a message and he immediately reads the message upon receipt but is not able to act upon the message until later.
Thus, what is needed is an improved message reminder alert in a selective call receiver.